Mrs. ItchyFeet You would not believe the amount of trouble I had finding an affordable apartment with a kitchen in México City, CDMX, México starting in June! You know why? Well, the World Cup kicks-off here on June 11th! There was not a lot of availability, and prices were through the roof. It’s better to book months in advance. Plus, airline tickets were expensive for a direct flight (or, as my air-traffic controller friend corrected me, “straight flight”… that just doesn’t sound as fun). Gayly forward, never straight!
Packing… sigh
I managed to find a place in Cuauhtémoc near Avenida de la Reforma and El Ángel de la Independencia (The Angel) for $2700 USD. Outrageous! But only for a month. I figured I could move in and walk around looking for “Se Renta” signs in the neighborhood. Then contact owners directly instead of going through Airbnb or something similar. With that settled, I started the horrible and stressful process of packing. What to bring and what to leave behind? I am still bummed about missing the chance to see some of my Seattle and Oregon friends, but it happens. Hopefully next year!
After waking up at the ungodly hour of 5:15am, my father-in-law drove me to the airport. Thanks, FIL! We did see a double rainbow on the way, so that was lovely. I dropped off my bags and made it through security so fast that the TexMex burrito and bowl takeout restaurant I like wasn’t even open yet. I like to get a TexMex bowl to eat on the plane. It’s supposed to open at 7am and a line was already forming. I figured I could wait… and wait… and wait. Their website gives me the option of ordering online and then grabbing and going once they open. Done.
People in line start to give up by 7:20am, but I asked an employee through the security bars and they said they would open at 7:30 today. Then I get a call saying the restaurant doesn’t serve from the lunch menu until noon, so they have to refund my money and I can’t get that TexMex bowl I want. Sigh. Finally, at 7:35am, I give up and head to an inferior salad bowl place in a different area of the airport. That TexMex place still wasn’t open as I walked back past!
Well, I’m going to be bougie so I head to a lounge and pay to enter for coffee, congee, and mimosas! The flight is on time and includes a meal. However, I already have motion sickness, so I skip the meal and force down my salad bowl instead, which is not great. I’m determined not to vomit on this flight and I barely succeed!
México!
Immediately upon landing, we all disembark directly onto a bus for what ends up being one of the longest tarmac bus rides I have ever taken. Where are we going!?! I’m stressing out too because I’m motion sick and, if I screw up the immigration part of this whole adventure, I will have to fly back to Idaho to start the entire process all over again. I do not want to do that! I have sticky-notes all over my passport with directions so I don’t accidentally get a tourist stamp instead of the much needed canje stamp. This is the step that is most likely to go wrong, and most difficult to correct.
Fear not, immigration goes wonderfully and I get the proper stamp for my canje process! All my sticky-notes helped. And all my luggage made it. Unfortunately, the pickup spot for rideshares is a really, really long walk away from the airport. I had to drag all that luggage down the street to find the stop. Random strangers helped me. People are so nice in México!
By now, it is rush hour and traffic is horrible. What should have been a 20-minute drive takes about an hour. The apartment is very cute but not worth the ridiculous price. The weather is wonderfully cool. It’s the rainy season, which makes for dramatic thunderstorms and downpours in the evening. Did you know that CDMX is higher in elevation than Denver? Well, you do now! This elevation is intense and no joke. I’m winded just going up the stairs to my apartment!
But lucky for me, I’m here in the magical month of Pride and México City is all for it! There are parades and drag shows, and rainbow flags everywhere. It’s amazing and absolutely wonderful! I’m from Seattle, where we know how to do Pride, and this city might top that, which is saying a lot. I love how inclusive it is, and everyone is just so welcoming!
I have so, so much to tell you about the World Cup! No, I didn’t get to go to any of the games, but I might as well have. The viewing parties have been spectacular! There are so many parks here and so much street art and gorgeous architecture. I walked everywhere looking for a new apartment! But that’s for another time. Plus, I have to tell you the rest of my adventures getting residency. It’s still ongoing! Miss you all already! Stay safe!
